I never thought college athletics, especially football, would have gotten to the point that it currently is.
I try to read and catch as many as 20-30 sports columns and stories every week, and recently, I found the best explanation to what is going on. Jarrett Johnson of the Aggie Wire Sports News wrote the following this past week, and it is so true.
The Transfer Portal giveth, and the Transfer Portal taketh away. It resembles the NFL free agency, according to Johnson, and commands more attention than National Signing Day or even the early signing period.
“Love it or hate. It’s not going anywhere, and every program in the country feels it’s important.”
These words summarize everything that we are going through right now as all eyes are on college football.
I understand that colleges are making money on all athletes, and yes, they deserve some reimbursement. It’s hard to afford things like laundry and groceries.
But where does paying players end? Where do we go from here?
Did you know there are over 3,500 football players in the transfer portal? Well, over half will not find a new home.
It is getting harder and harder to even want to watch games on Saturday. Someone must find an answer and do it soon!
Here are the easiest solutions:
Players can only be allowed to transfer three times.
Players must sign a contract to accept NIL, which also means if you leave after one year you have to pay a buyout.
The NIL needs to have a cap. No one can be making $2 million, while others are making just $2,000. Again, there has to be some collective bargaining. Each team and each school must have a cap, and it has to be the same.
In addition, the regular season has to start for everyone in the so-called week “0”. The regular season has to end sooner, thus if championship games remain they must all be finished at the same time.
Also, players must sign a contract that they will play the entire season (championship game, bowl game, etc.)
And players must be paid to play in the bowl games with higher percentage per winning.
There also has to be nothing but a week between each playoff game.
Do remember the FBS ranks run a complete playoff bracket and are done before the first week in January.
If these steps are not taken, Division I football is done. The rest of the NCAA sports world will be right behind it. College athletics are on the edge of being dead. We will be writing its obituary before we catch the national champions.
